For Money and Property?
by NAPPA
Summary: [CH4 - Fixed ] AU. Hermione is an independent witch and she wants to get married when she wants to and who she wants to. But what happens when her father dies leaving a clause in the will for her to get married or lose all the property? What will she do?
1. Prolouge

For Money and Property?  
~Nappa 

**Summery: **AU. Hermione is an independent witch and she wants to get married when she wants to and who she wants to. But what happens when her father dies leaving a clause in the will for her to get married or lose all the property? What will she do? Who will help her out and who will she be getting married to.

**Keywords: **O/Hr, H/Hr, H/other people – Ships are not in any order.

**Prologue: **The boogie Man

Hermione Granger stood in line with other students – looking down at the floor, hoping that it was not a dream. She was standing in line to be sorted into one of the houses of Hogwarts. Until two weeks ago, Hermione did not even know of the existence of the school. Her introduction to the magical world had been a rather amusing one – when she cared to look back. 

No one in her family knew that there was magic. It was a terrible shock to everyone present when a cat came into the house and started to talk about magic and the need for Hermione to get a proper education. Hermione was surprised to see that a cat could talk but she did not think that it was totally abnormal. Her parents had been a totally different story. 

The opportunity was a heaven sent for Hermione – who was glad that she would not have to go to Madam Worthington's Academy for Young Girls. She had heard from one of her friends that the headmistress there was very strict. She made the disobedient girls cry in a week. Hermione did not want to think what she would do to her. 

If there was an exaggeration in the above paragraph it was the fact that Hermione's aforementioned friend was her _only_ friend – and even then only over the telephone. At school, they did not talk to each other. Hermione's intelligence combined with her I-am- always-right attitude made her few friends and lots of enemies. It would have been less of a problem with other children, if she were wrong occasionally, but since that never happened, the other children avoided her. As time passed, friendships did not form and she became the only child in the school without a friend. Then a new girl came to school and Hermione was assigned to show her around for a day. The girl had been kind of heart and became friends with Hermione.

It only lasted until the lunch hour. 

Some other girls warned the new girl that being seen with Hermione would make label her as much of a looser as her. Though the girl broke ties to Hermione at school, she kept the telephone number that Hermione had given her before. Hermione received a call later in the day from the new girl and they chatted – it had been Hermione's happiest day till she was accepted into Hogwarts. 

Hermione saw it as a chance to start over – make friends and hopefully have a less miserable life. Not wanting to be kicked out of the school before she was in it, Hermione walked straight and made no attempt what so ever to look people directly in the face. – people always mistook her inquisitive looks as a sign of threat. She did not know if people would be the same in her new school, but she did not want to find out for as long as she could. 

" Granger, Hermione." Called out the woman who had ushered her along with all the new students into the great hall.

' Another life –' Hermione thought, ' hopefully not as bad as the one before.' 

She made her way to the three-legged chair. Hermione picked up the mouldy old hat and put it on her head, before taking a seat. She was expecting the teacher to yell out her house name when a voice inside her head spoke. ' Hello, Miss. Granger.' 

Hermione was very shocked to hear that voice and fell right off the chair. The hall filled with laughter and she could feel her cheeks beginning to flame, tears threatening to come out. Hermione had good reason to be surprised that someone was talking inside her head. She had been so busy looking down at the floor that she had completely missed how they children were sorted. ' Now, No one will like me.' She thought, shortly forgetting why she was so jumpy. She quickly took her seat again. 

The voice inside her head piped up again. ' Don't think that. Most of them won't even remember today and besides, more of them are friendly then not.'

" Who said that?" Hermione's hand's grabbed onto the side of the three-legged stool and she quickly turned her head side to side a few times. The oversized hat covered her eyes, so even if there was someone there, she would not have had seen them. Logic was overwritten by panic. 

' Please… stop that. It's making me sick. I'm the hat!' The hat said, with an odd sort of voice than it had on before Hermione started to move her head.

' Oh… I'm terribly sorry." Hermione thought in her mind. ' Please don't throw me out. Please. Wait, you can talk?'

The sorting hat laughed inside her head. ' I only let people in, my dear. Throwing them out is the headmaster's job. I'm to do the sorting and that's all."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. ' What does that mean?'

' Hmm. Not many ask that.' The hat seemed to have been flattered that Hermione had inquired about its role in the process. ' I'll be looking into your mind to see your strengths and weaknesses and then judge which founder would have had liked you in his or her house.'

' Looking inside my head.' Hermione sounded uncertain that it was safe. ' Is it going to hurt?'

' Is it hurting now?'

' No.'

' Than it won't.'

' Let's see now. Oh my!'

' What?' Hermione panicked. ' I don't have any magic do I? I knew this was going to happen. Now, I'll have to…'

' No. No, my dear. That's not it. That's not it at all. In fact, your magic is very strong and powerful magic.' The hat seemed to think, and despite the assurances by the hat Hermione started to panic again. ' It's just interesting. Well, I suppose I should let you choose.'

' Choose what?'

' Which house you will go to. So where do you want to go?'

' I thought that was your job?'

' It is, but you see my dear, you are a very peculiar case. You are cunning like the Slytherins…' – Hermione winced remembering what the red haired boy had said about the house on the train. According to him, you had to fight a troll and the people who were in the top quarter got into the Gryffindor house. The second the Ravenclaw the third was the Hufflepuff. When someone had said that what about the last few, the red haired boy had said something in a whisper._ " Slytherins." There was a gasp from people. " All the dark wizards came from there, you know." He had said. " Pray you aren't sorted there. Now, if you want to know how to not trampled by the Troll this is what you have to do…"_

Hermione did not believe the boy about the sorting process, but she realised that the boy thought the sorting process was true because it showed how bad the Slytherins were. ' …You are smart enough to be a very good Ravenclaw and you have the loyalty and sense of fair play to be a Hufflepuff. You certainly are brave – you have to be to go all your life without a friend. Perfect for Gryffindor you are – just like all the others. So, you see, I really can't choose for you.'

Hermione would have had said Gryffindor, seeing as how everyone said it was the best house, but she said Ravenclaw instead – she did not think she was good enough to be in the Gryffindor house.

' Are you sure?'

' Yes… unless you think that I shouldn't. Should I?'

' I just thought that you didn't want to have that smart thing hanging over your head.'

' Hufflepuff then.'

' You will be deftly bored before you even spend a day there. It's not for you.'

' But you just said I would make a great Hufflepuff…'

' You won't like it. Take my word for it.'

' Then I'll be in Slytherin…' Hermione said that and hoped she was powerful enough to not become evil going I there. 

' You won't like it there. Boys and girls there don't take kindly to people of non magical parentage.'

Hermione was getting annoyed at the hat. It had led her to believe that she could get into any of he houses, but it seemed to find reason why she should not be there. ' Gryffindor?' she asked uncertainly. 

' Good choice.'

' I had a choice?' Hermione said rather sarcastically, though that the hat did not hear comment or if it did, it ignored it – yelling, " Gryffindor."

Hermione mumbled thanks in her mind before taking off the hat and moving to the table that was showing signs of asking her to come and seat with them. It was then that she noticed that people were clapping and cheering for her! Hermione did not know how long she had talked to the hat, but did not care – she was in. She made her way quickly to where the tall red haired boy sat at the end of the table and tried to sit down. The boy moved over to the right slightly so what little space was there was there in the end was no longer there. Hermione thought that it was a mistake and as such tried to seat in the space that the boy had created between him and the boy he was sitting next to. But again the boy moved to block her. Hermione realised her life might not be as good as she had hoped for. A boy that she had done nothing to was making trouble for her on the very first day and in front of the whole school on the first day. None of the teacher seemed to do anything. It was a miracle in her mind that people had not noticed her plight and started to laugh at her. It was making her think that her original happiness that the names were being called in the reverse alphabetical order was not such a good thing as she had thought in the beginning. When the boy had started to pout advice to people about how to battle a troll, Hermione was happy that the names were in reverse and he was off the line before anyone else. But on the hindsight she would have had liked to hear the boy speak more instead of him humiliating her like he was doing now. 

Despite what Hermione thought, several of the people in the great hall did notice her. One of them was a green-eyed boy, whose eyes glowed shortly – before the glow returned to normal – He was too far away to do anything. There was another boy that noticed her plight too, and he was close enough to actually do something about it. 

And he did. 

The next time Hermione tried to sit and the boy moved, this other boy pushed the red head off the edge of the seat. There was a round of laughter that made the Red haired boy's face turn almost as red as his hair. The Slytherins' table was the one diagonally across from the Gryffindors' and a lot of heckling could be heard, and a lot of it was directed at some one called Weasley. Hermione did not try to make sense of it. She saw an opportunity to sit down, and she took it. 

" Thanks" she said to boy that had had helped her, extending her hand so he could shake it. " Hermione Granger."

" Huh? Ohh…" He shook her hand. " I heard them calling you that. " He took her hand and shook it once. " Second year student and Quidditch team hopeful, Oliver Wood."

" Nice to meet you… Oliver?" Hermione did not ask about Quidditch, since it appeared to be a sport, and she was not interested in sport.

" You can call me that." The boy had a friendly face, Hermione noted. " So, where are you from?"

" Sheffield."

" Really. I'm from Pearl Bay, so we're pretty close."

The red haired boy interrupted into their conversation. " Ronald Weasley of the Weasley Clan. You might know my father - deputy Minister of Magic he is. I'm from Ottery St. Catchpole – it'll be renamed to Weasley Lane in two months time…" As Ronald went on about his family and how great they were, Hermione tuned out of the conversation. The feast started after the head master gave his speech.

Hermione's gaze continued to wonder from face to face until she found one there that she did know and did not think she would see there. It was a very surly looking boy – tall and lean. He had green eyes from what she could make out. He had shiny raven black hair that she knew her mother would kill for. She herself liked all the frizzy hair – but her mother had commented that if doing something truly evil would get her silky hair, she would not hesitate. " I know that boy," she whispered to Oliver. " That's Harry Black."

Oliver followed Hermione's little pointed finger and found " Harry Black". No sooner had he found it, he spat out his food. " That's not Harry Black. It's Harry Potter. You probably don't know him. He's this famous wizard that defeated the dark lord twice already."

" No." Hermione was adamant that she was right. " He's Harry Black. My mom told me about his father – Sirius Black. He used to be in the investment banking, but now he's retired. They live across the house from mine and his father and mine great friends – they moved in end of last year."

Oliver laughed.

" What?"

" Sirius Black is Harry Potter's godfather. He used to live with some terrible muggles before that."

Hermione looked Quizzically at Oliver.

" Muggles – Non magical folks. Anyway, he's been taking care of him ever since he got out of the Azkaban – wizarding prison – terrible place. Apparently he was wrongfully convicted of murdering Harry's parents, but then Ronald's father there found the real person who did it. Great big scandal that was and when the elections came around – he got elected for doing such a good job."

" Are you sure, he's Harry Potter? I mean I read about him in the books, but he is… He's just so…" Hermione started, but Oliver finished it. " Young?"

Hermione nodded. 

" Hey, Sir Weasley." Oliver said to Ronald.

" How may I help?" Hermione was amazed at how quickly the boy that had hassled her a few moments ago was suddenly all chummy.

" Cut the act, Ron. Tell me who that is?" Oliver pointed out "Harry Black" or Harry Potter.

Ronald made a squeaking noise. To Hermione it seemed that the boy in the far table was someone that he feared. " It's the boogie man."

Both Hermione and Oliver exclaimed. " What?"

" He's terrible. That's Harry Potter. Defeated the dark lord twice –killed many people and he's only two years older than me. He scares me."

" Why is that?" asked Oliver with a rather bemused tone. 

" Laugh all you want. You're lucky you did not have the misfortune to see the pictures of the dead bodies after the battles he's been in on – dead bodies strewn all over. From the pictures it looked like he had ripped those people up after he killed them. Heads were missing, as were eyes and tongues in some. It was horrible." There was a shudder after he finished talking. Unlike the last time that he had spoken about the troll, Ronald looked and sounded very genuine. It was almost as if he really believed what he said. It was sending chills down her back when a girl from the other side of the table piped up. 

" Ronald Weasley!" said the ebony haired girl. " Don't say those things about Harry. He's a really kind and good person. He's done so many good things for your family and you go around spreading those awful things about him. I'm really disappointed in you – I thought you would be better than those two twin brothers of yours."

" Alicia, It's true." Ronald tried to make her believe, but the girl just gave him a glare – Ronald changed his story slightly. " Okay, so the heads missing part was a bit too much, but he did kill all those people. I've seen the pictures and he did kill a lot of them..."

" How do you suggest he deal with Deatheaters then? Cuddle them? They were going to kill him Ronald. It was either him or them. What would you have done in his shoes?"

" I'm not in his shoes am I?"

" If you were, you'd have wet you pants." She said, before getting up and leaving the feast. Ronald's face turned very red at the last comment.

Hermione looked at Oliver for an explanation as to why the girl Alicia had reacted that way. " What just happened?"

" That's Alicia Spinnet." Answered Ronald. " I think she has the hots for Mr. Save the world." said Ronald.

" Ronald, leave Alicia out of it." Oliver looked a bit out of sorts. " She _is_ right you know. You and your brothers have a lot to be thankful to him for, yet all you three do is try to turn his name into mud. It's a surprise he's not killed you and your brother's yet." Ronald's face was turning a dark shade of red and to Hermione, it looked like it would never be stop. " I know Charlie is the only one that actually was next to him in the last fight - you don't see him bingeing about it, do you Ronald?"

" Whatever. I still say someone who could kill you-know-who twice, has got to be a threat to us. We should take him out now, before he is so powerful that we can't do anything about him, " said Ronald in reply.

Hermione did not know what was going through the red head's brain. If the wizarding world needed Harry's help in getting rid of someone like "You-know-who", then how were they supposed to get rid of a person who was stronger than an enemy that they needed his help to get rid of. Hermione did not get to say her opinion as to what Harry Black/Potter seemed to her – from reading just her DADA book and the two times that she had met him. An older red head by the name of Percy Weasley hurried them all to their house.

As Hermione was leaving the hall, she bumped into another boy. He was considerably older – Hermione suspected him to be in the sixth or the seventh year. His silver blond hair and cool grey eyes gave the impression that he was a very mean person. The boy looked down at her scornfully, before leaving towards the other side of the hall. Hermione followed his movement and could have had sworn that she had seen Harry's eyes glow brighter and then comeback to normal. But that was impossible since when she blinked, he was not there. Realising that the things that Ronald had said was fuelling her imagination, she shook her head hoping to shake off the feeling. It was then that Oliver came rushing to meet her. " You alright?" He asked.

" Yes. Thank you for…"

" Please tell me you did not touch his cloak. Did you?"

" No. I don't think so. Why?"

" That was Draco Malfoy. The son of the Minister of Magic. He doesn't like muggleborns and he has this odd thing about them touching his cloak. The day they do it, the next they have a few bones broken. No one knows how it happens – it just happens. He's dangerous, keep clear of him."

" Oh…"

" He didn't say anything did he? Anything at all?"

" No. He just glared at me…"

Oliver sighed in relief. " Good. He's not going to do anything then. Let's get out of here, before you get yourself into more trouble."

Age of People  
_______________________________________  
Harry Potter (13)  
Hermione Granger (11)  
Oliver Wood (12)  
Alicia Spinet (13)  
Ronald Ron Weasley (11)   
Draco Malfoy (18) 


	2. Chapter One : Graduation Day

****

For Money and Property

Chapter One : Graduation Day

Hermione Granger stood tall and proud as she made her way onto the podium to receive her graduation certificate - and that would make her a fully qualified witch. She was feeling the same flood of emotions that she had felt on her first day of school here. Nervous to see what awaited her outside the confines of her school, just like she had once done about the inside of the school. The feeling of not belonging and hoping it would get better when she stood in the sorting line – stiff and still - hoping that she was not thrown out, was still there. Now it had changed to uncertainty about what she would be doing in the future. Proud in a scary way – like she felt when she was chosen to be in the school. No one else in her family or extended family had been magical and it made her feel special. She was now proud because she had managed to break the record for the highest possible score in the NEWTs. The previous high score had been set by the wonderboy Harry Potter – the boy who lived, the man who defeated the dark lord not once, not twice but thrice – if you count the very first time too. Hermione had felt unequivocally satisfied when she learned that she had beaten his score. Hermione felt ready for anything – like she had when she went to buy her books for her new school – fully expecting someone to jump from the bushes and tell her that it was all a great big joke. It was her odd conflicting feelings that made her feel like it was her first day all over again.

Hermione shook her head to get rid of all the things that she was feeling. It was no time to get emotional and she knew it. She blinked twice to get rid of the last of the pesky emotions and gracefully walked to the headmaster. She gave him a slight nod and said crisply, " Morning, Sir."

" Morning, Ms. Granger. I see that the typical Gryffindor slackness is instilled even in its finest," said professor Snape – Now headmaster Snape.

That's right. Severus Snape had become the headmaster after his predecessor left, which was just after Harry graduated. The old man did not feel obliged to stay in his position after that. His decision had been a shock to the entire magical world, as living memory did not stretch back far enough to a time when he did not teach the magically inclined. The shock was further more emphasised when realisation set in that most of the other staff would be leaving too. They had stuck it out through the wartime just because of the loyalty that the old man was capable of inspiring. Without him, they had no reason to stay. The only experienced teachers left had been Professor Flitwick and Snape. Of them, the job was first offered to Professor Flitwick – the senior of the two men, but he refused on the grounds that it would be too much work and he wanted to live a nice quite life. Professor Snape was offered the job only when no other suitable candidate could be found. He took the job because in his mind, his loyalty was best demonstrated if he stayed to take care of his mentor's beloved school. Though the mass exodus of the teachers had shocked the students at the end of the year, Hermione had been devastated. When she found out that her favourite teachers were leaving, she was sad, but this turned to anger when she found out that two of her favourite teachers were actually married to each other. Alone it would not have had made her feel as bad – but Harry Potter knew it before her. The same Harry potter that had made no secret of his dislike of those two teachers. Hermione felt an almost physical ache of betrayal that they did not tell her, but they told Harry. 

" I'm _not_ slack sir." Hermione said pointedly. She kept her voice low, like Snape had done before her. It amazed Hermione how the man could put a smile on his face and keep insulting her and her house. One would have thought that being friends with Harry would mean she knew a lot better. " The ceremony started early."

Snape ignored her. " Typical Gryffindor excuse. When in trouble blame someone else."

Hermione held back valiantly against the almost overwhelming urge to hit the man. She restrained herself, since Professor Flitwick was there. She did not want to do anything that would disappoint him. Her liking of Professor Flitwick was in the beginning by default. She had already liked him, but when two favourite teachers "betrayed" her, he became her favourite teacher. When her father had died at the beginning of this year, he had been a shoulder to cry on – granted that he could do little but lend a sympathetic ear, but without Harry he had been her only option. Harry would have been her first choice, because he was the only one she knew that had been through a loss like that. When her mother died during her third year, they became friends, after she was assigned to help him research in the library. He helped her cope with the loss in the most unique of way. One was his ability to make her laugh. 

__

" I see the moon." Harry said suddenly. Hermione and Harry had been sitting in the outdoor eating area of the newly renovated three broomsticks. It was just a few minutes past midday, and Hermione knew that it was not possible to see twilight. So her curious part looked up to Harry to see what he was looking at. 

" Where?"

Harry took her right hand and pointed it first up at the sky – Hermione squinted her eyes, wondering if she needed to get glasses. There was nothing on the blue sky but a few wisps of clouds. Then Harry started to bring it downwards until she saw what Harry was referring to. Without meaning to Hermione started to laugh.

It was a middle aged bald man. The light was bouncing of his head in such a way, that it emulated the sun hitting the moon. Hermione clamped down on her mouth, but could not stop laughing. 

When her father died, Harry had already been out of school for over a year. Oliver – though a very good best friend and boyfriend, was not good with emotions. As the stress of the situation built, Professor Flitwick noticed and took time out of his busy schedule to make sure that Hermione was coping well. 

So much death that she had seen though her association with Harry Potter that she did not cry anymore. She had helped him out willingly and often got mixed into things that had nothing to do with her. Several times her life was almost cut short through knowing Harry was dangerous. 

" What are you waiting for," Snape barked softly, " The head boy's out sick and you're giving the speech. I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't even written it yet."

Hermione held back again. The man could be an insufferable git sometimes – well all the time to her and the Gryffindors – being gifted with the ability to infuriate the other houses. She took out her long piece of parchment and headed to the stand. Clearing her throat, she started. She had her entire speech memorised and rehearsed. It was good and she was sure it would be well accepted by her peers and their family that were there… well, she hoped it would be. She did not have Oliver to bounce off ideas and make sure they were taken the right way – not that he did anything other than just nod and say, " Yup." Hermione was sad that their long distance relationship did not last, but she recovering from that. 

" Good Morning to friends and staff, and an especially warm welcome to all our guests." Hermione said nicely. " It's been seven years since I began at this institution. School I've always though was about education, but I cannot deny that I have learned a lot of things that were not in the curriculum. Friendship is one of them. Over the year I've studied and worked on projects with many of you. I've do…" Hermione's voice trailed off, but not before she started to stutter. The words all jumbled up in her head. The piercing green eyes on that distinct face had always done that to her. She hated the way he had the ability to do that. He knew that he could do that to women and he used it to his full advantage. He was a scoundrel if there was one – but she could not help by think he looked rather dashing in his silk shirt and khakis – semiformal attire. The face that she had seen was none other than Harry Potter. The man who was regarded by many as a living legend – Hermione included. He was sitting in the front row with a smug look on his face. Hermione's face flushed and it took a few moments for her to regain her senses and start again. She avoided looking at Harry for the rest of her speech. She did not intend to repeat the stuttering fool emulation that she had done – no matter how big the temptation was to look at him. When it came to Harry, her emotions were a pile of conflicting mess. 

~o0o~

Harry Potter had been talking to the girls of the graduating class for over an hour, before he excused himself to get some drinks. He had grown tired of talking to the girls who could not see past his fame. Fame he deserved, but even then, he did not like it. They saw what they wanted to see and nothing of the real person that he was. He knew that they liked to hear his voice – rich, silky and filled with a male presence that was attractive to them. He knew how vulnerable women were to him and he abused that knowledge. Those that knew Sirius Black blamed it on him, but Harry knew better. As much of a "ladies man", that his godfather was, he was not a womaniser. His godfather was the same as him to a point – both flirted a lot and women flirted back. They both had a presence that attracted women, but Sirius had the good sense not to go any further without knowing more about the other person, while Harry was the opposite. He was not choosy. Sirius had tried his best to teach him about the love that his parents shared. Harry's broken marriage spoke for itself.

__

Harry had been married right out of Hogwarts. At the end of the 6th year, Alicia – who was Harry's girlfriend at the time – was killed in a deatheater attack in West Brixton. Harry was devastated and got involved with a girl that comforted him. The way the girl treated him after marriage was despicable and one could hardly blame Harry for turning out the way he did – well not too much.

Harry walked past several groups of people, but did not stop to talk to them. He moved to the girl that he had been observing since he arrived back on the Hogwarts ground. The headmaster had called in his last favour to get Harry there, and Harry realised why when Hermione started to stutter on stage. The crooked man had it in for Hermione ever since she arrived at school and it was just another reason for the man to try to humiliate Gryffindor house. Harry did not mind the Gryffindors – well he did not mind the girls – the boys however varied from person to person. He especially did not mind Alicia Spinnet. She had been the first girl to actually like him and come out and say it. In his fourth year, she had even given him his first kiss – a peck on the cheek, but Harry had appreciated it. A lot of first's belonged to her for Harry – including the one that mattered most – feeling accepted. Though Sirius had wanted to have him live with him, Harry had always felt like a burden on him. Harry did not approve of the headmasters reasoning behind his invitation, but he had to admit that his old teacher was every bit as cunning as he was before – though still less than him. 

Probably not the best example of Harry's cunning was the funniest one – not to mention the most profitable one. It had happened a few days after the aforementioned incident when Harry and Hermione saw the man with the bald spot. 

" Here," Harry said, passing a tall glass of butterbeer to Hermione, " Have this."

Hermione sniffed the drink to make sure that Harry had not put something in it. She would not put it past Harry. The main reason that she had check it was because Harry never gave anything free. There was always a price.

" Don't worry, it's nothing toxic. It's Alicia's birthday today, so decided to be generous – now hurry up and finish it or I might need to extort money off you.

Hermione started to drink it down quickly, when Alicia showed up.

" You're not trying to steal him from me are you?" Alicia joked and Hermione's face had turned almost as bright as a red neon lamp. " You'll have a hefty fight on your hand, girl."

" No!" Hermione replied honestly.

" Alicia…" Harry said as though he was upset, " you make it sound like I'm capable of cheating."

Alicia gave him a long and lingering hard look and Harry relented. " Okay, I cheat – but not with you."

Alicia gave Harry a small peck on the cheek and said, " I know. Just keeping you safe – there's a lot of vultures out there…" Alicia's voice trailed off as she spotted a group of students making their way to towards the three broomsticks… " Speaking of which…"

It was Fred and George Weasley, accompanied by their miniature gang.

Hermione would have left, but the gang were blocking her way. Though a third year did go unnoticed most of the time, she did not really want to be known as the girl that hung around Harry. She did spend a lot of time with him and if people noticed it they might say things like they did about Alicia. Hermione did not think she would be able to live in the house with what Alicia sometimes had to put up with. Harry turned and looked at the direction Alicia was looking. He felt the familiar signs that made him think that the terrible twins were up to something. It was a relaxing feeling – because that was predictable. If they weren't up to something then Harry would have felt very unsure of the world that he lived in.

" We see that the Gryffindor Slut is with…" started one the few people in the twins' gang of friends. Harry exploded in anger. He was going to dash right up to the older boy and smash his face in, but Alicia grabbed him by the waist before he could take a step. " Say that again. Say it again." Harry yelled as he tried to get out of Alicia's grip. She was so used to holding him back that she knew exactly how to hold Harry so that he would not be able to do anything. It was not often that he lost control, but it occasionally happened. It was the Gryffindor bravado that made him do that – or so he claimed. 

" Shut up, Justin." Said one of the twins. They did not like Harry or Alicia for being together, but they weren't going to insult them. The twins were slightly neurotic – not completely arrogant gits. " Don't let Justin get on your nerve – he has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth."

" The foot that already stepped onto some dog doo." 

Harry stopped trying to get out of Alicia's embrace, but he kept his glowing eyes focused on them.

" Anyway, we've been watching that man over there." Harry noticed that they were pointing at the same man that not two days ago he had pointed out to Hermione, " and we've got a proposition for you."

" Sorry, I don't swing that way…" Harry said turning away slightly.

" Ha ha. Very funny, Potter." said one of the twins sarcastically, " George here thinks that you can't get away with hitting that man on his head." 

" And what do you think, Fred?" asked Alicia.

" Me? Erm… I agree with him, I guess. So, we were wondering if you would like to prove us wrong?"

" What's in it for me?" Harry said.

" Well, you get to keep you pride." Said George. 

" Nice try, but I'm not an idiot. Money talks, or I walk."

" A wager?" offered George.

" Ohh…This is getting interesting," said Fred.

" Okay, then, you have a bet."

" How much…"

" Harry –" It was Alicia. " You really want to do it?"

" Yes."

" Normal one galleon bet – you can't get away hitting him – by the way, no showing of your scar. People tend to mellow out if they see it.

" I won't show my scar, but the money has to be more. It's Alicia's birthday today, so it'll be five galleons or no deal."

Harry did not know it then, but Alicia and Hermione had both frowned then. The twins agreed quickly - they were certain that Harry would not be able to pull it off, so they offered good odds. Neither Hermione nor Alicia bet on the outcome. They did not approve of what was going to happen. There was a loud smacking noise when Harry's hand hit the man's head, followed closely by a very loud yelp of pain. Harry behaved as though he had done nothing wrong and said, " Steven you, son of a gun! Where the hell have you been?"

The man was upset when he was hit, but Harry's nonchalant behaviour confused him. " I'm not Steven. I'm Jason. Jason Alexandar." (A/N: ^_^;; - I've always wanted to do this to him)

Harry brought his hand to his mouth and pretended to be shocked. " Merlin, No! Get out of here. I have a friend who looks just the same as you… from the back."

" Well, it's not me." The man sat down and Harry made his way back to the table.

Harry was grinning ear to ear. The twins looked disappointed, but they wanted to recover the money. " Bet you can't do that again."

Harry raised his eyebrow. " You sure you have the money to back that up?"

" Of course we do."

Harry took the challenge. He walked upto the man and hit him again. This time Harry pretended to be angry. " You almost had me there with that little other person routine. I know you're Steven."

" I'm not!" the man protested vehemently. " I'm Jason. I'm Jason." Again, Harry apologised and got away with it.

The twins were impressed, as even they did not think they could pull it off and Harry's ego was inflated once more – enough that he said to the boys, " Want to go again? – Double or nothing?" Twins looked in their pocket's and they did indeed have the money – so after an all too brief discussion, they agreed. The man had moved, was looking at the direction that Harry had come from, so Harry had to sneak around some bushes to appear behind him. This time he said, " Steven you idiot! You have any idea what you've done! Because of you, I hit an innocent man. Twice! You should be ashamed of yourself."

" I'M NOT STEVEN. I'M JASON. I'M Jason…" The man broke down and started to cry. Harry apologised once more and left. The man took his case full of paper and ran from there after Harry had left his desk. Everyone in the group was laughing with the exception of Alicia and Hermione – but Harry was too hyped up to see it.

" Fork it over, gents."

The twins gave the money willingly. It had been entertainment worth it's price. Harry came back and said, " Well, I dare you two do what I just did."

" What do we get for it?"

" You keep you pride?"

" Haha. Funny. No, We want our money back." Said George.

" Half. I still need to get something for Alicia with this."

" Agreed."

The twins walked up to man on the chair, and hit his head. However the person had already changed. It was Professor Vector and he was not impressed. Needless to say that the twins were dragged back to the school for some urgent punishment.

That had been the first time he had a fight with Alicia, not to mention Hermione. They had compared his behaviour to those that used magic to humiliate muggles for sport. It had taken him weeks to get the girls to talk to him again and it had been only after a long talk that they both decided that he was really sorry about what he had done. 

Harry walked up to Hermione from behind and whispered, " Elliana," very huskily into her ear. It did not take much effort to do it – he had done it a lot after Ginny. Hermione jumped when she realised how close Harry was. She turned and looked at him – rather surprised that he had remembered her middle name. Light pink hue was dusting her cheeks and it made her look very adorable. Thoughts ran through Harry's head that, even he considered wrong – only in the best of ways.

" Harry…" Hermione stuttered out. She was never able to talk properly to Harry if there were other people in the room. It made her feel uncomfortable. It was almost as if she wanted to have Harry's undivided attention or it was not going to let her function properly. " It's…"

Harry did not let her finish – his right hand came to her shoulder and with the back of his hand he felt the midnight blue of the silk dress robe. " Blue looks nice on you." He complemented and Hermione's cheeks got a thicker shade of pink in response. " Tha…Thanks." Was all she could say. Harry's hand slid down her arm and grabbed onto her hand. " Want to go outside?"

Hermione nodded – wanting to be alone with Harry – but there really was no reason to nod. Harry was already in motion, knowing that she would not refuse.

They said nothing to each other until they were outside. Harry seem to know where they were going and Hermione was too busy filling Harry in with her life's events to realise where they were going. 

Greenhouse fourteen – there were actually just three green houses, but since they had only three tags to mark them with (14,23,69) it was called that.

Hermione sat down near a bed of roses. " So what did you want to talk about?" She asked, more confidant of herself now. She looked up to him. He was still standing.

" What no greetings? No Hi, Hello, How are you's?"

Hermione's cheeks had been recovering from the earlier blood rushing, but his comments made them turn pink again. She mumbled something while she wrangled her wrists.

" Don't worry about it." Harry's hand moved and reached for the stray hair that covered her face. The strand turned red and soft in his hand. After he tucked it behind her ear, it turned back to normal. His hand rested against her skin a fraction more than he intended and a fraction more than Hermione wanted. 

She knew she had a small crush on Harry when she was in her third year, and the fourth and the fifth – even when times he did things to make her mad or even hate him. But she thought she was over it. She had to be. A Lot had happened to her. She had a few boyfriends and one steady one for over one and a half years. She studied hard and achieved the impossible dream to be better than Harry Potter in anything. Hermione did not like the way her heart had the irregular rhythm when he showed up – he had made her embarrass herself in public. Her last chance to make the mark she had made in the school all the more perfect and he had ruined it. " Why did you ask me here."

Hermione stood up and spread her arms to indicate the green house. Once she did it, she realised that she should not have had done that. Standing up allowed Harry to move to the side a little and block any routes of escape she had from there. In a second, Harry had her backed against the wall – though he was still a reasonable distance away. " Can't a friend take another one to the green house to talk to her?' He said moving closer and leaning in.

" Hmm…Her… Umm…" Hermione was cursing her stupidity. She had to be the biggest idiot in terms of common sense. Otherwise why would she allow herself to be left alone with Harry in such a quiet place. It was like leaving a tiger live prey and asking it to take care of it.

" You smell really nice…" Harry said, getting off on the way Hermione seemed to be reacting to him. Of all the girls that he had met in his life, Hermione was the most restrained and contained person he had met. She fascinated him in the way she most obviously had a crush on him, but refused to come out and actually hit on him or even show it openly. Nevertheless, he knew that she liked him and it thrilled him to no end to confuse the poor girl.

" You said that before." Hermione looked out past Harry. Seeing if there was a way to escape. Her mind was working hard and fast. She did not want to be one of Harry's preys.

" I know, but you do smell nice." He paused. " You smell like vanilla."

Hermione gulped. She had inkling in the morning not to wear the light vanilla perfume. It was a nice smell but it was not as much her favourite as the rose one. She knew that Harry loved vanilla – and though she did not know he would be there, she cursed her choice.

__

It had been in her fifth year that she Hermione learned of Harry liking for vanilla. It was quite an accident too. She had been passing the head girl's room and Ginny Weasley was talking to her friends about "her man" Harry. How he loved vanilla and what they did with it. It was an accident and Hermione obviously did not mean to keep listening for as long as she had.

" No I don't." She said quickly.

Harry closed the distance between them significantly, making Hermione take in a breath. She was trying not to breathe the scent. In the wild Ostriches hid their head in the sand and hoped that the danger would pass. In Hermione's case she was thinking that if she did not smell the scent anymore, surely he would not. Something like this never works and it did not work either.

He smiled at her. " You know, after Ginny and I broke up all the girls that were interested in me suddenly started to wear the vanilla scent." Hermione gave a guilty sob. Her cheeks infused with more blood. " Elliana…" He said in a very soft voice. " I never told you how low of those girls I though of, did I?"

Hermione did not like the implications of the last sentence. It implied that she wanted to make him like her. Which she did – but not in the way he was thinking. She was not the kind of girl that dressed herself up so that she was to the liking of the man she wanted. It was true that she was wearing a perfume that smelled very much like vanilla, but she did not know that he would be there. If she did, she would not have had worn any or if she did it would have been Rose. She liked to do things her way and it just so happened that she liked the Vanilla smell – it what white and pure. Hermione was going to put him straight. Tell him how not every woman wanted him and not everyone wore that scent, did it to please him. In addition, she certainly did not do it for him or any man.

There was no need to.

Harry had come so close that Hermione's could feel his breath on her bare shoulder. She was regretting not having worn something that covered her shoulders. He closed the final bit of distance and kissed her near the sensitive spot on her ear. A feeling that she had never known before reverberated though her entire body. She released the breath as she felt herself start to relax. It was kind of nice, she decided, to be this close to Harry. " Eeek..." Hermione said, when she felt Harry actually give a small lick. Their cheeks rubbed against each other as Harry's lips moved to her cheek and then tracing down towards her lips. Despite all the things that he mind was telling her about how much of a bad idea it was to let Harry have his way with her, her body was not thinking the same. Hermione waned to just run from here, but her feet felt as though they had been encased in concrete. Almost as they did in old mob films to the good people – just before throwing them into the lake to swim with the fishes. 

Her body was at wonderment at finding another body that fit in so perfectly with it. It was not as if Hermione had never had make out sessions with boys before. She was a pretty girl – one that blossomed late, but a pretty girl nonetheless. However, this felt exquisitely different. There was no fumbling, not uncertainty and definitely no smell of butterbeer. Hermione gathered her arm with the intention to push him off, but somehow they wound up wrapped around his neck trying to get him closer to her. Harry pulled away. " You taste like Vanilla too." He said, looking slightly winded. It was better than Hermione – who was feeling like she had not had a breath of air in her entire life. He took the lead yet again, and somehow managed to get his hands inside the top part of her dressrobe. When he did touch her skin he kept his hand where they were – very unlike what other boys had tried to do to her. There was attempt to grope her flesh. He did move his hands to her back and brought her close to him – but that was all he did. Hermione moaned into his mouth, but it was just absorbed into his. Inside Hermione's head it felt like fireworks had been set off – cliché, but that was the only way Hermione could describe it if she was given an opportunity. 

BAM!

Hermione had no idea what was happening at first, but then noticed that two other kissing people had made it into the greenhouse and were too busy to see that there were other people there. Harry had released her from his kissing when they had entered. She guessed that they had opened the greenhouse door all too quickly and made a lot of noise. Hermione got the most severe of urges to go and tell them off for disturbing her snog session, when she realised who had made it into the greenhouse. It was Ronald Weasley and Millicent Bullstrode – a surprising development since they had been enemies since their first year after a disagreement at Quidditch game. It had resulted in a fistfight between the two – the result of which to this day Ronald claimed was because he let her win. 

It was only after Ronald's top half of the body was exposed by Millicent that the two of them notice that Hermione and Harry was staring at them wide eyed. Millicent was looking frustrated and Hermione suspected that if she had said for her to not mind them, she would have had continued on Ronald. " We…we…" Hermione started when Millicent looked irritatingly at her, but her dishevelled clothes and flustered face did give the two newcomers pretty good idea what they were going to be doing. 

" We were just leaving." Harry finished her sentence and grabbed onto Hermione's hand. " Nice to meet you two." He did a bit of unknown magic and Hermione found herself standing outside the entrance of the great Hall. " Damn. I still have to get the kinks out of the spell." He said. Hermione shot him a questioning glance. He did not answer her. " I guess we'll have to talk later Elliana. I can see the headmaster and the old man coming – got to go."

He left her at the door and made his way running towards the two men. Hermione, like any other woman in her situation, was furious. Seething on that spot, Hermione promised herself that she would take revenge on Harry Potter. Soon. Very soon. She felt utterly humiliated for having been dumped for two men. One old enough to be his father, the other old enough to be his great grand father.

Age of People  
_______________________________________  
Harry Potter (21)  
Hermione Granger (18)  
Oliver Wood (19)  
Ronald Ron Weasley (19)   
Twins (22)   
Ginny Weasley (21)   
Draco Malfoy (26)


	3. Chapter Two : Where there is a Will, the...

**First the lateness: **

I just got engaged – Not yet 18 and engaged and I did not even get the girl pregnant----------- :D. A few of you might say that I'm too young – I probably am – but that's not the point. The story of why and how is rather interesting – but I'll tell that in the Next Chapter of Septanic Dueling. The wedding date is – 31st of DECEMBER 2002. I am also posting this from Australia (why is part of the story and I'll tell all in the next chapter of Septanic Dueling). 

  


  


**For Money and Property?**

Nappa

  


  


**Chapter Three : Where there is a Will there is trouble!**

  


Hermione walked calmly across the foyer of the apartment building that she had been living in for the past two months and towards the entrance. The door man, an elderly looking man, held the door for her. She nodded slightly at him as she approached the door. " Going out so soon, Ms. Granger..." the eldery man looked a bit confused. He had a right to be, she had just walked in a few mintues ago with the same suitcase that was in her hand now. " Do you need a hand, miss..."

" No thank you, James. I can do it." Hermione walked onto the other side of the glassdoor.

" Must have been..." He mumbled to himself finally realising what had happened to the young girl. The elederly man in question had seen a lot of things happen in the apartment complex in his lifetime. Anniversaries, birthdays, parties, birth and deaths – even a murder a few decades ago. Of all the things he had seen – he could not help think that this was one of the worst. He really did not think that the girl deserved what had happened to her. She was unlike anyone he had met in his entire life. Hermione was uncommonly kind – in the two months that she had lived there, she had spoken to him longer than some of the other residents had in years. His heart went out to the girl. He looked out to see that she was standing at the edge of the footpath – looking blankly at a poster. He picked up the phone behind his little counter and called a number – when he was done, he opened the door and walked out to her.

" I called a taxi Miss Granger."

" Thank you James." Hermione said looking up. She was not like what he had expected her to look like. She looked as though nothing was wrong. The man nodded and started to head back inside – when he turned back.

" I hope you don't me saying this Miss Granger – but I have to. You're a beautiful girl and a very kind one. That lout of a hoodlum didn't deserve you, miss. You'll find someone better in a day's time, I can promise you that."

Hermione smiled warmly at the man. " I'm alright, James. You don't have to be worried on my account."

" It's no bother really miss..." The man's voice trailed off as the a black taxi pulled up in front of Hermione. " Let me get you the door miss." He hurried to open the door for her – knowing that she would not let him do it for her if she reached the door first. When Hermione was in he said, " Goodbye, Miss Granger. It's been a pleasure knowing you."

Hermione nodded and the door closed.

" Where to Ms.?" asked the driver.

" Tilford."

" Tilford?" there was a genuine surprise in the man's voice. " As in Tilford in Surrey?"

" Yes." Hermione looked out the window at the retreating figure of James. She was going to miss James more that she would miss the apartment or her boyfriend. 

" I'll need some money upfront miss. It's quite a long trip from here... and...you know – I don't need the passenger doing a runner."

Hermione opened up her purse and took out two notes. " Would a hundred pound do?"

" It will." said the driver, taking the money. The car started up with a low hum.

  


~o0o~

  


Hermione wrapped the thick green blanket around her leg and leaned back against the porch swing. In her hand she had favourite book of all times – well non magical one - " A tale of two cities". It was always a good read at early winter mornings with the light filtering through the foliage of the trees just right. It was a quite rural setting and she was looking forward to her read. This would have been the first time she would have had done this after her father died. She missed the love and affection he showered onto her and times like this when she felt truly alone, she she missed the fact that he was not making a cup of hot chocolate inside. He would bring it out and site on one of the other chairs look at her drink and read the book – totally oblivious to the rest of the worls. Hermione had tried to make hot chocolate like he used to make – but it never tasted the same. She missed the thick and rich flavour of chocolate. She could almost smell it and thinking about it made her crave it.

" Want some?" asked a voice from behind her.

Hermione was surprised would have had been an understatement. She did not even look at the person or what he was offering. She jumped to grab her wand which was only an arms length away on a pedestal – but she she fogote all about the blanket that was wrapped around her leg. Hermione felt herself wobble before she started to head for the floor – backwards. She closed her eyes for the inevitable fall, which somehow never came. Hermione opened first her left eye – making sure that she was still in the real world and not dead. When she saw that the porch ceiling was the same as the one she lived in, she opened her other eye. She realised why she was no falling to the floor. Someone had caught her. Normally she would have been very thankful to the person who had saved her, but this time she was not. She was still mad at him after two months. She was mad at Harry for leaving her like that at the graduation party. " What do you want?"

" I came with hot chocolate and end up saving you from a fall – and this is what I get?" Harry let go of her, and this time she fell to the floor completely – she banged her elbow in the process too. She got up really quickly, and her anger at Harry increased more when she found that Harry had taken her seat on the swing. There was still plenty of space left next to him, but it would have been uncomfortably close. She was still mad at Harry about the party – and that combined the way she was feeling about all men after Oliver and her anger at Harry suddenly showing up was a dangerous combination. Any other man would have had sensed how unwanted he was and would feel uncomfortable – but Harry with the ego the size of Hogwarts, was different. He did not even seem unfazed in the slightest. Harry pointed at the steaming cup of chocolate on the pedestal near her. Reluctantly she took the cup. Harry could have had put something in there as a joke or with malicious intent. She could find a lot of reasons not to take the cup, but there was only one reason to take it. It was chocolate. Hermione held the cup close to her nose and was going to smell it when Harry said, " I didn't put anything in there."

Hermione pretended that she had never thought of that.

" Honestly, you pretend like I have nothing better to do then just put some kind of drug in your beverage and have my way with you."

" You do? What would that be – chasing the slut of the month?" Hermione did not know what came over her, but somehow she did not feel as vulnerable as she used to feel around Harry and it gave her the courage to speak her mind.

" Hey!" Harry said protesting, " that's slut of the week..."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

" Besides," Harry said pushing off the ground with his legs and staring to swing a little on the chair. " ...if I wanted to have my way with you, I could easily do it without resorting to drugging you – I would have had thought after that Graduation party, you would know that."

Harry was right about the party and Hermione knew it was true. Harry need only corner her. Hermione's eyes darted above the cup of chocolate – making sure that she was in as much open space as she rememebred. " ...you love me and you know it."

Hermione shouted, almost squeezing the cup in her hand enough to risk splashing herself with the hot liquid. " It was lust! Just pure unadulterated lust! There's a big difference between lust and love, Harry, and you would not know it if bit you in the ass..."

Harry was surprised to see that Hermione had protested at all. He did want to infuriate her, but he did not know that he would be successful in getting her to swear at him. It was a pleasant surprise for him. She never failed to surprise him and that's what he liked about her. " Swearing?"

" It's only swearing if the other person is respectable."

Harry chuckled. " Since when exactly?"

" Since..." She could not find anything to say in her defence. " Why should I have to explain myself to you? You're the one that's here – uninvited if I may add. Which brings me to my original question." Hermione leaned against the railing. She was enjoying her role as the one to be the dominant one in their conversations. " What're you doing here?"

" and I told you... brought you the hot chocolate... for which you still have not thanked me yet."

Hermione looked at her chocolate. It was good. It was not as good as the one her father made but it was good none the less. She was mad at Harry, so he would never hear of it. " You want me to believe that you came out of that large house of yours to give me a cup of chocolate?"

" Yes." Harry said very strongly. " You make it sound like it's a chore. I live across the street remember."

Hermione ignored him. " Just the cup of chocolate?"

" Yes..." Harry's voice seemed to have had gone a bit softer.

" Just the chocolate?" She asked yet again.

" Yes... erm kind of.." Harry finally seem to give away that he was after something else.

" What is it? - Just ask me and put me out of my misery."

" Erm... It's about the tie." Harry showed her his bright yellow tie – almost a flurocent yellow. The only thing that she could come up with is that he wanted her to give him a new one – which turned out not to be the case. " Can you tie it for me?" He asked – almost begging – as close as Harry Potter could come to do it. " I had two others," he explained, " the first one caught fire when I tried to magic it to do it – the other one, tried to choke me."

'Why couldn't it have had done a good job of it?' Hermione thought bitterly.

" This is the last one I have and it was a gift from Ginny. - She had great taste, didn't she?"

Hermione wanted to choke Harry herself with the yellow tie. She could not believe after the way Harry was treated by Ginny, he still put her in a pedistale. Not only was he doing it, he was doing it in front of her. As for Ginny's style, Hermione did not like it. Nor would anyone else with a modicum of sense. Hermione supposed that when the topic was Ginny – Harry had no sense what so ever anyway. She decided that she would help out Harry just so that he would leave her alone, faster. She started to undo the butterfly knot (like in the shoe) that he had done with the tie and started to do it properly. " I could have had sworn that I saw you in a tie before..." Harry nodded, and it made it hard for her to tie the knot. " Don't do that."

Harry went rigid. Apparently he needed this very much and that is why he was behaving himself. " I've worn ties before – usually the girl's tie them onto me. This girl I'm going out with now isn't so good in these sorts of things. Ginny and Alicia did that very well."

" Ohh... You miss her?"

" Of course I do. She was my ex-wife...I loved her... Oh! You mean, Alicia." Harry went quite. It was very unnerving for Hermione. " I miss her. If Ginny hadn't been there when she had, I wouldn't be here."

' That would have had done us all good.' Hermione thought sarcastically.

" What did you say?" Harry asked suddenly, surprising her. She was sure that she had thought it to herself – but apparently she had not. Harry looked curious, not angry at her comment, so she figured that he had not heard her completely.

" Nothing." She said quickly, before changing her mind. " Actually, this tie is horrible on you. Do want something else – I think I know where dad's old ties are. I'm pretty sure that there's a blue tie that would look great on you."

" Really?" Harry looked happy. " Good. Please."

Hermione undid what she had done and headed inside the house. She was gone for about a minute, when Harry entered the house through the front door. The house was looking very much like what it was when he had come there last. Cozy and clean. Very clean Harry noted – almost like Hermione re cleaned everything every hour of the day. Hermione came down the stairs, and frowned at him. " Why're you inside?" She demanded, " and why didn't any of the magical alarms ... wait let me guess... you don't trip alarms."

Harry grinned. " Never have. Well there was the time I was born – the doctors were alarmed at how big my..."

Hermione rolled her eyes, expecting Harry to brag about a certain part of his body. " I'll do the tie and then you leave."

" ...feet were." Harry finished his sentence with a large grin. " I'll behave, I promise."

Hermione gave him a scrutunising look, before she walked the small distance she had placed between them. She took the blue tie and wrapped it around his neck. " You haven't told me why you need it." Hermione said.

" Oh. Well, I'm going to Muggle convention – something about the Rainforest – it's Bambi's favourite charity."

" Bambi..." Hermione sniggered. Harry's tie was almost done and she felt disapointed. She would have had liked to take some pot shots at him and the sorts of girls he went out with. She did not feel as childish and foolish around him as she usually felt.

" You're only sniggering like that, because I'm not taking you out."

Hermione tightened the tie harder than she really needed to – almost choking him. " That's all done" she said looking proud and not even noticing how Harry was desperately trying to loosen his tie a bit. " Now, Out!" When he finally loosened his tie, Harry looked at her with his green eyes. They flashed and Hermione found herself instantly recalling that they had done the same in her first year. She wondered what it was. Harry shook himself to get rid of something. He smiled at her – albeit an almost bitter one. " You're right. I must get going." 

Hermione sighed in relief. " Good."

Harry held the door open and said, " I told you you loved me. Despite everything I did, I still got you to do this."

" I do not!" She yelled after him, but he had already closed the door. Hermione opened the door and shouted, " It was lust! Just lust! Just..." However the person on the other side of the door was not Harry. It was the village priest. Her face coloured quickly. " Hello, father." she said in a small voice.

" Morning, my child." He said in his soft voice. " Was someone here before me?"

" Don't worry about that, father." Hermione said quickly. " Can I help?" She led the elderly man to a nearby sofa. " Tea?"

" No thank you dear. I am here on business." He said. That did not help Hermione to guess why he was there. Not only was he the priest of the the small community – he was their doctor, lawyer and the postal messenger. " I'm here about your father." He extended a thin folder with bits of paper poking out. Hermione took the folder, but did not do anything to open it. She took a seat on a nearby sofa. " What about my father?"

" What you have in your hands is his will."

" His will..." Hermione had not thought for a second about his will after his death. She had thought when he had died he left everything to her, and that is why nothing come to her in writing. After over a year, he was sure that she owned the hose she lived in – no on else had come to claim the property. " What... What does it say?"

The elderly man looked uncomfortable. "It was a joke my dear, please remember that. Your father and Sirius Black came down to the town one morning and asked me to make it out for them. It was all a joke. They were going to change it in a few weeks time."

Hermione's hand started to shake. " What's in it?"

" ...Sirius Black did the next month, but you father had died already. It was a joke my dear..."

" I get it was a joke, but what's in it?"

The priest took the folder from her and said, " basically it says that you have to get married, if you want to keep the house and the adjoining lands. Your trust fund will always be there for you – but nothing of the earnings from the land or anything can go to you – if you don't. The will only takes affect after one year and sixty nine days from the death of the person. Again, my dear, don't think of your father in a bad way. He did this as a joke and he was going to annul it a few day later – he just never made it to do it."

" This can't be legal! He can't force me to get married from beyond the grave."

" My dear, he didn't want to. It was all a joke. It is legal. I was the lawyer who did it." Hermione gave him a scornful look. " I have filed appropriate papers to get the will dismissed – but there's a problem my dear."

Hermione did not really care about the property. She had her trust fund and in a few months she would be able to buy a house almost as big as this one. The only reason she had even thought to oppose the will was because the property in question also had a section where she and her mother played together when she was young. She did not know what kind of people were going to get her land if she did not get to keep it and feared that she would loose all her memories of her mother. Having lost both her parents Hermione was very afraid that she would loose all her memories of her parents. " What?"

" It'll be three months till the hearing and the judge refused to issue an injunction – so unless you get married in the next three months my dear all this land will go to the other benefactor."

" Who is that?"

" Erm... Mr. Harry Potter."

Hermione did not know it but at that moment her eyes flashed and it scared the poor priest. Hermione could not believe what had happened. If she did not get married, then she would have had lose all that she had of her mother and father to Harry.

" Don't be angry with Mr. Potter, my child. His uncle had made the same will – with you as the other benefactor."

" Does he know?" Hermione said gritting through her teeth.

" No. He won't know till you loose the property to the exectutor – me – and it's time for him to take it over." 

Hermione let out a small sigh of relief. ' Thank merlin for small favours!"

" I won't tell him – you can trust me. I'm trying to get in touch with one of my old friends – he's a judge – if I can get him to take the case, then I can speed up the case."

" When will I know if you have the new judge?"

" In a few weeks I think – but I suggest you make an alternate plan my dear. A trusted friend perhaps."

" I think I need a drink..." Hermione said getting up. " Do you want something father?"

" Apple juice if you have any."

Hermione nodded. She went into the kitchen and got out the bottle of concentrated butterbeer and then she conjured up a bottle of apple juice. She poured herself a coctail of Apple Juice and concentrated butterbeer and for the minister - just a normal glass. The priest left after he was done with his drink – Hermione however stayed there for a long time sipping and drinking herself into a stupper. She had lost her mother and father and it looked like the world she had helped save was not finished taking away precious things from her. It was determined to take away her memories as well.

  


~o0o~

  


Bambi came up from behind Harry and wrapped her arms around his waist. Harry who had been looking out the window to the small house across the street, let go of the curtains. " What're you looking at?" she asked.

" Nothing..." He started to lie, before he caught himself. He had promised himself that he would not lie – unless he really had to. "...Light is still on across the street – you know the white house across the street." Bambi didn't really listen, as she was trying to give Harry's shoulder a soft bite. He sighed exasperatedly. What she was doing was quite nice – but he was worried and she was not paying any attention. He did not like it when people did not pay attention to him. " I think I'll go and check." He said turning around and removing her hands from his person. 

That got her attention. She wanted to play and he was not being co-operative. " You're not serious!" She stood back in horror. She was wearing the sexist thing that she could afford – which given her background, cost a small fortune. She knew she was good looking and that combined with her outfit she was sure that no man could resist her. So it did not make sense to her when Harry wanted to go off and do something else. 

" I'm very serious – she could be hurt or killed or even worse." Harry said. He really did not think that Hermione was in mortal danger. The woman he was with right now had been very irritating the whole day, and now she wanted to play. For the first time in his life, Harry did not want to "play". He was willing to find an xcuse to get away from her. With the short attention span that Bambi had, he was sure if he stepped out she would forget all about playing and go to sleep. Finishing the day by irritating Hermione would been the perfect ending to an otherwise horrible day – he thought. 

" She? As in a girl. A woman. You're going to leave me here to go check up on another woman."

" It's nothing like that. She's just a friend." Harry tried to convince Bambi, when she failed to see that – Harry resorted to an "adjusted" truth. Harry feigned a look of horror. " Do you think I would have a relationship with a 91 year old woman?"

" Oh no!...Why didn't you say so before silly? I was beginning to doubt my hotness." She said coming closer to Harry. She hugged him and said, " I think it's really sweet when a man so much about his elederly neighbour. A kind man like that is a big... wooo..." Bambi started to blush and fan herself. Harry caught on that Bambi liked sensitive men a lot. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. 

" I'll be right back. I promise."

" Hurry back – I'll just lay down on the bed."

" Okay."

Harry rushed down the stairs. He told himself that he had not lied about Hermione's age – he just said the numbers backwards. At the door he grabbed his heavy cloak and made his way onto the other side of the road. He was careful not to use magic as Bambi was a muggle. Going around the back Harry found why the light was on in the back – Hermione was there – so was a very strong smell of butter beer. This was not one of the surprises that he liked. He was on the thrid step when a very drunk Hermione looked up at him.

" Ohh.... Here comes the male slut *hick*... we girls all have to drop our knickers now *hick* " Hermione started to undo her pajama bottom. Harry quickly made his way up the stair and before she could undo any more buttons, he restrained her hands. He didn't want her to do what she told her imaginary audience of girls to do. " No need to horrify me now, Elliana." 

"*hick* I'm Elliana now?*hick* So when you want something I'm Elain.*hick* " Harry laughed slightly. Hermione was so drunk she was saying her own name wrong. " *hick* You're laughing. *Hick* You're taking everything away from me and you're laughing." Hermione tried to get her hands out of his grip and hit him – only managing to get herself in a more rigid position. She kept fighting more and more and before he knew it, Harry was having to restrain her by holding herself to him. Hermione was saying something about a person named Will and how he was going to give Harry everything. How James and Olive (A/N: Not Oliver) were doing things when she was there. Harry did not know who James and Olive were or where "there" was. Having left with no other choice he started to walk backwards into the house – with Hermione trapped in his arms.

" You're going to have a very big hangover tomorrow." He said

" What *hick* do you caaaaare..?"

Harry threw Hermione on the sofa. " I don't care. You're right. But you're staying put. I don't..." Hermione tried to get up again, but Harry pushed her back. " I don't want you going outside – you're a walking invitation for someone to take advantage of you."

" *hick* and you're not? What do you call taking away all my stuff? My parent's are gone and now you're taking away their memories from me. *hick* Why're you here? You want to take me now too – my dignity? *hick* I'll make it easy for you..." Hermione started to unbutton her nightshirt.

Harry groaned, before sitting down next to her. He grabbed her hands again. " Will you stop it?"

"*hick*"

" I'll let you go – but no more trying to expose yourself – you'll give me nightmares."

"*hick*"

Hermione stopped trying to get her hands free and Harry let her go gently. " I've never seen you like this – what happened?"

"*hick*"

Harry got up. " that bad, ey. Well... " He magiced Hermione to the sofa so she could not actually get out of it and then magiced the house so that no one else by her could get in and out. He made sire that she could escape in an emergency – but other than that he made sure that Hermione was a prisoner of her own sofa. Harry considered whethere or not he should stay there to see to it that she was alright – but in the end decided that he had done more than what he was required to do as a "decent" person. Guilt free he returned to his own house. When he entered his own bedroom – he found Bambi sleeping.


	4. Chapter Three : Morning After

Thanks for all the reviews of this chapter and the one before. I made a lot of  
mistakes in the chapter when I originally posted it. I should have had someone  
take a look at the file before I posted it. Sorry about that. It's been checked  
by friend now.  
Thanks to Chris for doing it :)  
- Nappa  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
For Money and Property?  
  
Hermione's morning after her night of binge drinking was far more than a  
nightmare. It was horrid, and it was all too real.  
  
It all started when the sunlight came streaming through the windows, and  
caressed her delicate skin. As the sunlight warmed up her soft, supple features,  
Hermione was getting annoyed at the light, rather than feeling the normal  
sensation of near-bliss that she usually associated with it. The light was too  
hot, she concluded.  
  
Her eyes fluttered open and when the bright and vibrant colours finally stopped  
wiggling inside her half-opened eyes, she felt even worse. The world that she  
knew was too loud. The birds outside were making a lot of noise - far too much  
for her to remember which species they were. Hermione could normally recite them  
off the top of her head by what melodious sound they made. She normally loved to  
wake up to them. "Blasted headache," Hermione murmured to herself, but then  
moaned out again, as her murmur had been too loud, as well. Little did she know  
that her torment was just beginning.  
  
Harry had used magic to restrain her to the sofa, but she did not know that.  
Therefore, when Hermione did try to roll off the couch in an attempt to crawl to  
the kitchen, and get some water to quench her thirst, she managed to roll the  
entire couch on top of her. It was rather fortunate that the heavy couch did not  
pin her down totally, as the backrest had hit the top of the tea table and made  
a tent that had her pinned in between. When she finally realized what had  
happened, she could not help but think of herself in a high regard. She thought  
to cast a restraining charm on herself even in the drunken stupor. The reasons  
for her stupor did not pose a question in her mind - the priority was to  
retrieve the wand that was jabbing at her side. Hermione wanted to remove the  
spell, but it took a bit of effort to twist herself into a less restrictive  
position to reach for the wand, and when she had, she tried to cast the spell -  
unsuccessfully. It was really odd, since the wizard or witch that had cast a  
spell could easily dispel their work for minor curses, and it was a minor curse.  
Strong witches and wizards could do the same for other wizards and witches too.  
Hermione did not panic when she had not been able to do it. It was not unheard  
of for a person under the influence of drugs or mind control spells not being  
able to remove a spell. She did stop to consider if someone else had cast the  
spell, but she dismissed it. Harry was the only one that could come into the  
house uninvited - one of many exceptions to the magical laws that he seemed to  
be exempt from. Harry was not careless about her; that much she knew. And since  
he was the only one that could break into the house past her self-made security  
wards without alerting the Ministry Aurors, she didn't think anyone else could  
have come into the house, either. As such, it had to be her who had cast the  
spell. It just had to be. She wasted no more time thinking about silly security  
wards - she was thirsty.  
  
By the time Hermione did manage to undo the spell she had almost lost the cloud  
that hung inside her mind. Things were a lot clearer now, though the headache  
and hypersensitivity were altogether different things. Sliding out from under  
the sofa through the small triangular gap, she was tempted for a second to tip  
the sofa back, when she got up, but resisted. It would make an awful lot of  
noise, and she was not ready for that yet. She hobbled out to the kitchen.  
  
Hermione was too thirsty to think about anything else and the thirst grew as  
distance between her and the fridge grew smaller. She yanked at the door, and  
the whole fridge made a noise of protest. She reached into the fridge to where  
she could remember she had placed the bottle of cold water, last - only to  
retrieve an empty bottle. It took her longer than it had ever taken her to  
process the fact that she had an empty bottle in her hand. Hermione was not the  
typical girl to chill an empty bottle. It could not have been anyone else  
either, since Muggles would have been sent home thinking that they had reached  
the wrong house - had they tried to break into the house. It had to have been  
Harry that had done it, she decided, closing the door to the fridge, but not  
before placing the empty bottle inside.  
  
Frustrated that she had no chilled water, she forgot about being a witch, and  
how she was able to conjure water at will; she reached to the sink, instead, and  
turned the water jet on at full blast. When she tried to then drink from her  
clasped hand, a mishap happened. Water as cool as the fridge water would have  
been hit her hand full force and splashed all over her front. The chilling water  
was a wakeup call that was like the proverbial sledgehammer to a glass window.  
The headache was still there - bigger than ever - but reality was very clear. It  
was no longer a set of fuzzy images. They had their sharpness now, and Hermione  
began to long for the haziness. She was beginning to remember why she had gotten  
drunk the night before. Hermione turned the water jet down a bit and then  
splashed herself with more water - a last ditch attempt to hopefully wake up  
from this nightmare. When that didn't work, she grumpily started to make her way  
to the hot water jug. 'Maybe the tea will wake me out of this...' Hermione  
thought, adding first two tea bags, and then changing her mind to add two more.  
With the hot cup of tea in her hand, she made her way back into the living room.  
She had a date with her sofa - she planned to put it upright, and then sleep the  
rest of the day, hoping that maybe avoiding the problem would make it go away.  
  
However the whole morning was about to take a very unpleasant turn. She walked  
into the living room to find that Oliver Wood, her ex-boyfriend, was sitting on  
the sofa across the corner. She took a sip of her tea without blowing on it, on  
the assumption that if it didn't hurt, she was in a nightmare; which she wanted  
to part from, and if it did, she was in reality, and that hurt she would be  
feeling would take away some of the other that Oliver had caused a few days ago.  
  
It hurt.  
  
It burned actually.  
  
Oliver looked good as always. Hit outfit -- a blue shirt and black jeans --  
suited him. He looked taller than he really was, and it gave his personality a  
depth that she had never felt from him. He looked handsome and attractive; she  
hated him for it. "You know, 'Mione..." Oliver started; whatever Hermione had  
felt for him evaporated.  
Hermione barked out, "Don't call me that!"  
He, in response, started to smile at her, and then started to goggle at her like  
she was the latest model of broomstick. She would have checked to see what was  
making Oliver behave like that - he had certainly never looked at her like he  
looked at broomsticks; nor had she ever seen him look like that at her or anyone  
in the time she had known him. She didn't check because that would have meant  
admitting that she wanted him ever to look at her like that; it would have been  
too much of a victory to give to Oliver.  
  
She wondered how he had entered the house; it put her belief that Harry was the  
only one to break into the house into question. Oliver was certainly not the  
best wizard that she knew; not even in the same grade as the most capable ones,  
needing her help all throughout his school life to just barely graze through.  
This puzzle would have intrigued her more, normally, but this was not a normal  
time in her life. She was amidst a personal and financial crisis and she wanted  
nothing to do with Oliver, now. She wanted nothing to do with men; they would  
just add to her confusion and clutter her mind. It frustrated her, instead, that  
he was there. Her love of puzzles did not survive when men behaved like idiots  
in front of her. The look she wanted from him all the time they were together,  
she now thought was the sign of his stupidity. Hermione had had enough of him  
looking like that. Her left hand went to her hip and as she leaned forward  
slightly, she said, " What," the annoyance plain her voice, "are you looking  
at?" She had had enough, and letting him win a little did not concern her. She  
wanted him out of her house and preferably out of her life.  
"Almost nothing." He said - whispering almost to himself.  
Hermione scrunched her nose and eyebrows in confusion. " What?" She shook her  
head as she said it.  
Oliver sat up and Hermione could have had sworn that she saw his smile turn  
smug. She wondered if it had been wise to let him win a little. When he was  
standing right in front of her, he said, very clearly and in the huskiest voice  
he could manage, "I've never seen this much skin on you in all the times we've  
been together."  
Hermione looked slowly down. It was almost as if when Oliver had said, she had  
realized that her front was soaking wet and left nothing to the imagination. It  
boggled her mind that somehow she had felt the coolness when she had tried to  
drink water, but after that - she felt nothing. Hermione made a small yelp and  
let go of her glass of hot tea. It would have had scolded Oliver's skin and  
hers, had he not caught it in midair.  
  
Hermione, on the other hand, went for the blanket that was strewn nearby under  
the sofa. She grabbed it and wrapped herself in it. After covering herself with  
it twice around her body, she put the sofa between her and Oliver. She only then  
spoke to him, when she felt like she was not standing in front of him - naked.  
When she did, she yelled. "Get out!" She did not care for an explanation as to  
how he had entered the house or why she did not feel the wet clothes sticking to  
her. She did not care to know why he was there. She just wanted him out.  
  
"Geez, Hermione!" He said to her, looking like he had been insulted. "I save you  
from the hot tea and this is the treatment I get?" His words were like Déjà vu  
to Hermione. Harry had said the same things to her the day before. The  
similarities between the events were uncanny. Harry had saved her from hot  
chocolate - he from tea. Harry had come for her to tie the tie. Oliver she did  
not know why - but she could care less. It was then that she noticed for the  
first time how similar Harry and Oliver were. They both fit the tall, dark and  
handsome category to the tee. Harry was the darker of the two and Oliver was the  
nicer of the two to her. Though after the way Oliver had surprised her a few  
days ago, she wasn't sure if that was true. Oliver may have been the less  
womanizing one, but to her knowledge, Harry had not cheated on girls that he  
went out with. It would have been on the news, otherwise.  
"Out!" Hermione yelled again. Her hand inside the blanket made a tent pointing  
at the door, making Oliver just look on even more smugly. Hermione cursed  
herself that she had let Oliver "win". Oliver was not a graceful winner, and she  
knew a price was yet to be paid for showing her annoyance.  
She didn't have to wait long. "And suppose I don't..." He put the tea down on  
the table and spread his feet on the ground a bit, kind of like he was getting  
ready to be tackled to the ground by Hermione. 'Like he' a human paperweight.'  
Hermione, under normal circumstances, would have shown a smile at that amusing  
thought, but she did not. She was just too irritated. "...What'll you do?"  
Oliver said, waving his arm like he was trying to get Hermione into even more of  
a worked up state. "'Specially since you'll have to take the blanket off to fire  
curses at me, Miss Granger."  
Hermione had not thought what she would have had done. Things were just too  
confusing at that moment. Not only was Oliver making a pest of himself, but she  
was also still very upset about the possibility of losing her only memories of  
her mother to Harry. She was sure that being the kind of man Harry was, he'd  
tear down her house and build some kind of community project - just a way to get  
some more women to flock to him. She would have done anything for an  
interruption, then... almost anything. But when the interruption did come to her  
aid, she was not sure if she wanted it.  
"I want to know that, too." Said a bemused voice. Hermione looked to the door,  
and saw that Harry was leaning against the frame with his hands folded across  
his chest. He looked rather dashing, too - more so at that time - Hermione  
realized that Harry was looking more appealing than he had ever appeared before,  
as if to make her life more miserable.  
" You!" She sputtered out, " - Out, too."  
She looked to Oliver and was going to tell him to leave, but he was looking at  
Harry, and Harry was looking at Oliver. And neither seemed to be interested in  
what she had to say. They were giving each other a sort of look that she could  
not totally comprehend. It seemed to her it was a strange mixture of admiration,  
palpable hatred, and jealousy. Then it struck her - they were evaluating each  
other. Seeing how they rank next to each other. Just to prove her right, Harry  
and Oliver both drew in a breath and it inflated their chests. 'They're trying  
to intimidate each other,' Hermione thought. 'It's like that article about the  
apes!' She thought incredulously. It had been an article on how males of a  
specific species of apes inflated their chest and beat on them to intimidate  
each other for the right to choose a mate. Hermione normally would have had  
disapproved of this kind of behaviour, but she wanted to encourage it now. Not  
because it made her feel like two men were fighting over her; no, that was not  
it all... - she wanted one of them to take the other out, so she only had one to  
deal with. It would have been even better, if they knocked each other out,  
leaving her with two unconscious bodies to deal with.  
  
When nothing happened, Hermione tried to guess who was winning. It seemed to her  
that Oliver was winning, but she was proven wrong when Oliver let go of his  
breath. Hermione was disappointed. She wanted to see Harry lose. She needed to  
see Harry lose.  
  
Harry looked triumphant, but unlike what she had expected, Harry did not go on  
and on and on about it. He said to Oliver, instead, "Those Ruby Rabbits sure had  
a good go at your team last weekend."  
Oliver joined into the chat like nothing had happened. Then again, Hermione was  
not certain if anything did happen. "They did; McNelly was in top form..."  
Oliver started to say.  
  
"AGH!" Hermione screamed. "Quidditch! STOP IT!" Both men looked at her like she  
was mad. It irked her. She could feel pressure building on the side of her head,  
and in a vein on her forehead. "Oliver! What're you doing here, and how the hell  
did you get in?"  
Oliver got ready to open his mouth, when Harry started to say that he would like  
to know, too, but Hermione had not finished talking yet. "And YOU!"  
Harry made an innocent face, as if he did not know why Hermione should be upset  
with him. "Why're you back again? I thought after yesterday..." Harry looked  
genuinely shocked, but he recovered quickly, "...you weren't supposed to show!"  
"Well..." Harry started, but she stopped him loudly again.  
"No! He's first!" Hermione said, pointing to Oliver.  
Oliver and Harry looked to each other. Harry resisted the temptation to laugh at  
himself being treated like a child. But he didn't. For now he was more  
interested in Oliver's explanation.  
"Erm..." Oliver started, slowly.  
"Go on, I don't have the entire day." Hermione's voice broke halfway through it.  
Her voice box had been through more exercise than she had ever given it. Stress  
was truly getting to her.  
"I'm actually here to see Mister Pot..." He started to be very formal to Harry,  
but then changed his mind. "...I mean, Harry. I was passing by so I thought I'd  
look in on you."  
Hermione's mouth fell open. She was dealing with Oliver because he wanted to  
"look in" on her. Her eye started to twitch. Had he not been the one to break to  
her heart? Why was he still making her life so utterly terrible? Why did men  
just want to make her life so complicated? Harry did not wait for Hermione's  
permission to speak. "I saw him sneaking around the house trying to get in, so I  
thought I'd see what he was up to. But then..."  
Hermione ignored Harry and asked Oliver, "How did you get in?" She started  
rubbing her temples.  
Oliver took out a set of brass keys from his cloak pocket, and why he had them  
came flooding back to her mind. She had made him a set because she wanted to  
take their relationship to a level beyond what they were in, then. She held pent  
up anger and frustration and managed to say, "So you came here to see Harry?"  
Oliver nodded and Hermione snatched the keys from him. Oliver quickly set about  
looking at the scratch that Hermione had made when she roughly grabbed the keys  
from his hand.  
"And you came to see Oliver?"  
When Harry nodded, Hermione gathered up more of the loose blanket around  
herself, and started to walk up the stairs.  
"Where're you going?" Asked Oliver, confused.  
"Since neither of you actually came to talk to me, I'm going to go and have a  
sleep." She said, "And when I get back, I would appreciate it if both of you  
gentleman were not here." Neither of the boys said anything. After waddling up  
the stairs she stopped midway and turned to say, "Harry?"  
"Yeah?" Harry did not expect Hermione to address him, again. He wondered what  
she wanted. "Can you please put the sofa back when you go?"  
Harry didn't reply to that, nor did Hermione expect him to. She just wanted him  
to not do it so that she could gripe about it and hate Harry for it. She really  
needed to hate Harry, and him coming over to check up on her and making sure  
that she was safe was making it hard for her to hate the man that could  
unknowingly take away all that was valuable to her.  
  
  
" So why did you need to see me, Oliver?" Harry asked Oliver when Hermione was  
out of earshot. Oliver in response took out a pink envelope and handed it to  
him. Harry could smell the vanilla and peach combination that was unique to only  
one woman Harry knew - Ginny.  
  
~o0o~  
  
Hermione went right into her room and considered what to do when she was at the  
door to the bathroom. She could either soak in the marble tub in a bubble bath,  
or have a warm, refreshing shower. Discarding the clothes fast, she decided that  
she needed to have a shower - not soak in her own filth. The warm water was  
cathartic, washing away more than just dirt and soap scum from her body. It took  
away a lot of the tension. As she dried herself, she wondered what it was that  
made men be total pigs to her. 'First, it had been...' she started to think, but  
then she decided that she needed to have some rest. There would be time later  
when she could gripe about men, she decided, as she drew the covers over  
herself.  
  
It didn't take long before the sleep consumed her; it felt to her as though only  
mere seconds had passed, when she awoke. A quick splash on the face with some  
water had her refreshed, and ready for a busy night. She had a lot to clean up.  
She had to order to some books about the muggle law system and see what she  
could do about her situation. As much as she wanted to leave everything to the  
lawyer/doctor/postman/etc.... she didn't have a choice. She would not feel right  
if she just left it all upon him. It would hound her if she lost all of it  
because she was just lazy to do some work herself.  
  
When she came downstairs, she found the room tidy. She checked to see if the  
kitchen was tidy, as well. It was. All the water on the floor was gone. The  
kitchen-top was clean. The fridge had the empty bottle, though. Hermione wasn't  
stupid enough to think that Harry had put the sofa in its right place; nor was  
she stupid enough to think that Harry would have cleaned the kitchen for her.  
Even if it would have been just a wave of the wand for him to get the result she  
wanted. She thanked Oliver that he had been as kind as he had been.  
  
She looked through the pantry and found a packet of pasta. Hermione went into  
one of the cupboards and found one of the pots. She filled it with two glasses  
of water, put it on the stove, and brought it to a boil. She then accurately  
measured a half cup of milk - when she got a bit too much, she put most of the  
milk back, and then started again. She took a big spoon out, and added a big  
scoop of margarine to the mix. When the mixture was hot enough, she added the  
contents of the pack and started to cut some belief and coriander. When the  
pasta was done, she poured it into a big bowl, and topped it off with the green  
leafs. It was enough to serve two very big servings, or three small ones - but  
Hermione had not had anything for lunch, so she was not feeling guilty about  
eating so much.  
  
She took her favourite book from the shelf, and made her way to the back porch.  
She planned to read the book to its finish, and then order the muggle law books.  
Hermione knew a muggle shop owner in London, and though it'd be late night when  
she would get around to order the books, she was confident that the man would be  
there. She turned the light on, and opened the door slowly - careful not to trip  
herself on the frame. When she turned around, she found Harry swinging on the  
porch swing.  
  
She would have had gotten mad at him, but she didn't when the lost look that she  
had seen him with only one other time registered in her mind. It had been when  
Alicia had died. It was not as severe as it had been with her, but it was big  
nonetheless. "Harry?"  
The look vanished. "Hello."  
"What're you still doing here?" She asked.  
"You said to be out of the house... I'm out of the house." He said, grinning.  
Hermione rolled her eyes. As she approached him, Harry moved from the center of  
swing to the very edge, and brought the swing to a stop. Hermione sat down on  
the very edge of the other side to Harry, and when she had, Harry started to  
swing again. Slowly.  
"What're you reading?" He asked.  
"Tale of Two Cities..."  
"It was the best of times... It was the worst of times?" Harry said in a  
question.  
"Yes." Hermione looked up at Harry in surprise. She had not thought that Harry  
read muggle books. Let alone something as deep as the book that in her hand.  
"Have you read it?"  
"Nope." Harry said, grinning. " I just know those two lines."  
Hermione wanted to roll her eyes, but she could not help but smile just a  
little.  
"You haven't answered my question yet, Harry." She said in very serious tone.  
"Why're you still here?"  
"Mostly swinging on a chair. You?"  
Hermione let out a sigh. "Reading and trying to have my dinner and lunch at the  
same time."  
"What did you make?"  
"You wouldn't like it." Hermione said. She did not know of anyone that did not  
like macaroni and cheese, but she did not want to share hers. She had made it  
and she could hear her stomach growling in a low voice. It was Harry, and she  
did not want to share.  
"Smells like Macaroni and Cheese." Harry said, making a slurping noise. "Do you  
have another spoon?"  
Hermione held the bowl closer to herself in a protective manner. "I'm not  
sharing." Harry frowned, but he went back to just staring at the fence. Hermione  
felt sorry. She did have enough to give him a little, but she didn't want to.  
But she felt guilty. "One spoon." She said.  
Harry grinned in response to that. Hermione took the least amount she could  
using the spoon and held it up to Harry. "If you're going to be that much of  
scrooge, then why offer any?"  
Hermione blushed, and then took a decent amount and held it up to Harry. "Mmm...  
good."  
"Okay. That's all you get. I need the rest."  
Harry made a face. "But I'll drown if I just have one spoon..." He said sighting  
the local legend of the boys that had only one spoon of food, and then drowned.  
"All the more reason to..." Hermione said, teasing him.  
"Please..."  
"No..."  
"But, I'll drown..."  
"You won the swimming event in the TriWizard championship." Hermione took a very  
large spoon full of the pasta, and shoved it in her mouth, making every effort  
to make Harry hungrier for more.  
"But that was years ago. I haven't swam in years..."  
"Harry Potter! You're a liar." Hermione said. "But I'll give you one more..."  
"Thanks." Said Harry, after Hermione held up the spoon for him.  
"No more. If you ask for more, there'll be a price a to pay!" Hermione pointed  
at her wand that was sitting in between them.  
  
~o0o~  
  
Hermione didn't even notice the time fly, after she had given Harry his second  
helping of her pasta. When she finished the book, she found Harry with a  
calculating look in his eyes. "What're you thinking?" She said out loud without  
meaning to. "No! I don't want to know." She started to get up quickly, and go  
into the house, when Harry grabbed her hand. He didn't really grab her as much  
as gently hold her. She wanted to go inside the house, but like a moth to a  
fire, she was drawn back to Harry.  
"Draco's dying." Harry said, looking particularly sad.  
This did not make sense to her. Draco had been a business partner of Harry's.  
Harry was a well-to-do businessman, then, and then Draco came around to his  
house with a business offer that Harry could not refuse. While Harry worked on  
the joint project, Draco worked on Ginny. It took surprisingly little time for  
Draco to ensnare Ginny. It was surprising for Harry; not to anyone else that  
knew her. Harry loved Ginny. It was a love that Hermione did not know how to  
define. Harry put Ginny on such high pedestal that Hermione did not believe it  
was physically possible for any other woman to take that place. She suspected  
that the real Ginny might not go there, either. She expected Harry to be happy  
that Draco was dying. Though only a few years older than them, Draco had tried  
to achieve immortality a few times with experimental charms and dark magic;  
neither of which were unknown to the magical world, but it was certainly  
ignored, as he had enough money to bribe away the problems, and it was not  
surprising that he was dying.  
"Why aren't you happy?"  
Harry let go of her hand. "Happy? Why should I be happy?"  
"You'll have your precious Ginny back." Hermione said with an unusually large  
amount of venom in her voice. "We both know that you love her."  
"I do." Harry admitted. "But I wouldn't want Draco dead." It made little sense  
to Hermione.  
"Am I missing something, or are we not talking about the same man that slept  
with your wife for a half year behind your back and then took her away from  
you?"  
"No, you're not wrong." He said quietly. "But he was a friend. Still is."  
"You're friends with him?!" It was as much a question, as a surprised  
exclamation. "Still?"  
Harry nodded, and Hermione's jaw just dropped in response.  
"How can you be friends with him...?"  
"Because I was friends with him long before Ginny came along." Harry's voice  
conveyed something that Hermione could not quantify. "If it hadn't been for him,  
then I wouldn't have had survived my first year in Hogwarts. Don't get me  
wrong... he hated me as much as Voldemort did. He hated what I stood for. He  
hated that he couldn't boss me around. But he also stopped the whole house from  
attacking me, because he told everyone that he wanted to do it himself. He just  
never got around to doing it. It's complicated."  
"I'll say. What goes on inside the head of you Slytherins is a wonder in  
itself."  
"He's not as bad he appears to be." Harry said to Hermione.  
"Oh! No! Don't tell me that. He beat up Muggleborns for touching his cloak.  
He..."  
"They shouldn't have touched his cloak." Harry said, like it was the most normal  
thing in the world to do.  
"What about accidentally?"  
"Every plan has its flaws."  
"I can't believe you're defending HIM to me!"  
"He's ruthless and would kill anyone that was in his way to getting what he  
wanted. He wanted Ginny and he bought her with money. I couldn't have had  
offered her as much as he had."  
Hermione looked disgusted. She'd had enough. Harry justifying Draco was sick.  
Justifying Ginny's actions were even more sick. Harry was making her sick.  
"Why're you telling me all this?"  
"Ginny's coming to town in a weeks time; that's why Oliver was here. He brought  
the letter from Ginny and Malfoy. They're both coming."  
Hermione had other reasons for hating Ginny aside from the fact that she had  
used Harry. Harry was somewhat of a friend. But the reason she hated her was  
because she muddied the name of the Weasley family. They had always been nice to  
her. Ronald was nice once you got to know him. The twins were decent enough  
people and their mother was very nice. She had never met their father, but he  
was held in high respect by a lot of people. She hated Ginny because she  
destroyed all the hard work that Alicia done on Harry to make him tolerable. She  
had taken advantage of Harry's weakness after Alicia had died and used it to  
build him up into something that was more of a handful and harder to tolerate  
than he ever had been. Hermione loved Alicia like a sister and she had hated to  
see the way Ginny had ruined the memory of Alicia.  
"Again," Hermione's voice hid little of the hatred she had for Ginny. "Why're  
you telling me this?"  
"Erm... I need your help."  
  
Hermione was stunned - no shocked. That was more of an appropriate word. Harry  
had made a drama about asking her to tie his tie the day before, yet he came  
right out and asked for her help with something. She could only think that it  
had something to do with Ginny. She could feel her earlier headache return. Then  
the pain started fading with the realization that he needed her help. It seemed  
the more she thought of the idea that Harry was desperate for her help, the less  
the pain in her head was. It was like some kind of wonder drug. The corner of  
her mouth curved up a little.  
She looked up at Harry found him to have had lost all his smugness, and he was  
really looking vulnerable. Like the time long ago she had seen him ask out  
Alicia. Hermione made up her mind; no matter what, she wanted to see his face  
when she refused to help him. "With what?" she asked politely.  
Harry took his seat. "Erm... you see, Ginny is coming to town."  
"Uh-huh. You told me."  
"She's coming with Draco."  
"You told me that, too!"  
" She wants to stay at my house in Little Whining."  
"And you said yes?" Hermione asked, knowing full well that Harry could never say  
no to Ginny.  
She wondered if Ginny had somehow brainwashed him. Anyone else would have had  
said no to Ginny. A woman who left a man because his large amounts of money was  
not large enough would be hated by the person that was left behind. Not Harry.  
If anything, Hermione thought that Harry's love had grown - the only reason  
Hermione put up with what Harry did sometimes was that she pitied him; it had  
nothing to do with the fact that she had a little crush on him. Nothing at all.  
"So what do you need my help with?" Hermione got ready to say no.  
"I need a wife." Harry's words hit her like a rampaging elephant.  
"A what?" She was not sure she had heard it right, and if she had, then she was  
sure that he would not have had asked her what she thought he had.  
"A wife." Harry said it like it was most natural request to make to girl. "A  
woman joined to a man in marriage; a female spouse."  
"I know what that means!" Hermione said, annoyed.  
"Then why did you ask me?"  
"Grr... Harry." Hermione growled softly.  
"Okay. Enough jokes. I need a wife for the time that Ginny's at the house."  
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. She did it a few  
time, but her mind had stopped working properly.  
"You really shouldn't..." Harry started, but Hermione finished it. "If you say  
one word about fish, you'll get not help from me, Harry Potter."  
Harry grinned, "So you're helping, then. Good. We'll need..."  
"I haven't said that."  
"But you just..." Hermione gave him a strong look, and he quietened down.  
Hermione wanted to say no. She wanted to say it out loud. Very loud. She did not  
want to be Mrs. Harry Potter, but it was a brilliant solution to her problem as  
well and not to mention the fact that she would be holding a power over Harry  
that she had never had. It had too many upsides for her.  
"Why do you need a wife?"  
"I'll need someone to pretend to be my wife and then keep me from falling for  
her, again."  
"What?" She pretended to be disgusted. "No! Never. I'm not doing anything like  
that. What'll people say? I mean, as far as they know, I'm just a girl that's  
trying to take advantage of you after your wife left you. I don't want to be in  
a scandal, thank you very much." After Hermione said it, she realized that those  
were valid things that she had spouted off the top of her head and had not  
considered, herself. The look of surprise at those things that she had not  
considered in her "perfect" plan made her feel very uncomfortable.  
"Don't forget Oliver." Harry reminded.  
"Yeah, that too." She did not feel like telling him that Oliver and her were not  
a couple anymore. To her knowledge, Harry knew that she and he were a couple.  
"I'm not becoming your wife. Period."  
"Is that your last word on this?"  
Hermione tapped her right index finger on her lips and said, "Yes."  
Harry got up and started to leave. Hermione's heart jumped. She did not want for  
Harry to leave. She wanted him to beg; that's it. He had to. He had put her  
through a lot over the years, simply because he was a "friend" of hers. She  
wanted to make him pay a little; just a little. This was her chance to grab it.  
Hermione stood up and walked Harry to the door - if he was not going to beg,  
then she was not going to help him. Harry had to do something that would  
convince her to help him. Actually, she just wanted him to beg. He had to beg.  
He just had to.  
Just standing outside the door, Harry said, "You know, a lot of girls would be  
jumping to play Mrs. Harry Potter."  
"I'm not most girls." Hermione pointed out. "Besides, what's happened to the  
airhead you were dating a few days ago?"  
"Ginny's never going to believe that I married her. Plus I need someone to help  
me not make the same mistakes again. I don't need someone to play house with.  
Ginny will break that in a second."  
Hermione closed the door. "Sorry." She said. She slumped against the door hoping  
like hell that Harry would ask her again. Her pride was one of the things that  
Harry had not taken away from her, yet, and she did not want to loose that.  
Harry banged the door. "Ask for anything... it's yours." Harry shouted.  
Hermione let Harry bang the door twice more, and when she started to hear his  
footsteps moving backwards, she stood up, and opened the door. "Anything?" she  
asked from the porch. Harry turned back quickly. He looked happy - like he was  
with Alicia. Almost the same type of happy; not the one that he showed most of  
the time.  
"Anything." Harry walked quickly to her.  
Hermione walked backwards and said, "Wait! You're not coming any closer till we  
get the details sorted."  
"Anything." Harry repeated.  
"Well in that case, for now, you just stand over here..." Hermione pointed at  
the far end of the porch and took a seat on the swing. "I'll sit here, and we'll  
get this sorted."  
"Anything." Harry was grinning cheekily. She did not like it. She liked it, but  
she did not like the way it made him look...like he was up to something. It made  
her wonder if she was making the right decision. "What do you want?" He asked.  
"Beg." She was clear. "You'll have to apologize for tormenting me all these  
years. For every single thing you did." Hermione smiled smugly now. "You'll have  
to remember everything you did and apologize for them." She wanted to say it  
again. If he backed out now, it would still have been worth it to know that she  
had yielded this kind of power over Harry.  
Harry let out a sigh of relief. "That's all? I can do it in my sleep."  
" Ah ah ah... Nope. This is not one of your hollow apologies that you give to  
your bimbo of the day; this is a full-blown, heartfelt apology." Harry looked  
concerned at that, but said that he'd do it.  
Hermione knew Harry well and knew that Harry would drag it out as long as he  
could. He did not like tackling his problems head on. He liked to put them off,  
and see if there was a way to wiggle out of them at the last moment. He paced  
back and forth. That's where she and he were different. Though she was still  
surprised how drunk she had gotten in the face of mounting problems. She was  
never like that. She never drank too much. Moderation was her life. Why she had  
done what she had, was a mystery to her. Hermione started to observe Harry. He  
was rolling up his sweater's sleeve up past the elbow, and then unrolling it and  
doing the same with his other arm.  
"Okay... here I go." Rolling up the sleeve.  
"Uh-huh." Hermione said, as Harry started to pace.  
"Okay." He stopped and opened his mouth. Then he closed it. "Okay." He said,  
staring to pace again; this time he was fiddling with the sides of sweater. He  
stopped and with the most resolute face that Hermione had seen him with, he  
started to say, "I sincerely and humbly request that you...  
For...for...for...get me..."  
Hermione stood up. Just looking at him was frustrating. "I'll be inside, Harry,  
and if you don't get this done in the next two minutes, the deal's off."  
The words did not come out of Harry mouth. "Wait... wait..." Harry said,  
blocking the path to the inside of the house. "I'll get it right." Harry said,  
smiling uncertainly. Hermione had the overwhelming urge to let Harry off the  
hook. But she stuck to her guns. "Go on." She said, sitting back down.  
"I've not been sorry for anything I've done in my life." Harry said, "I know  
exactly what I did and why I did it. I'm not sorry for doing them. I will never  
be sorry for doing them. I did what needed to be done and I don't have to  
explain to anyone why they needed to be done."  
This was not an apology. Hermione could see that Harry was rather proud of the  
way he had hurt her and people around him and he was not willing to admit it to  
himself that he was wrong. It hurt her to know how little Harry thought of her.  
It hurt a great deal. She wanted to cry. She did not know why Harry invoked such  
a strong feeling in her, but she wanted to do it.  
"...When I had to kill to save the magical community, they wanted to put me to  
death for saving them. I use magic to help people; so what if I had to use a few  
people and hurt their feelings for the greater good?"  
Listening to Harry speak was almost maddening. The need to cry turned into a  
burning need to slap him.  
"...However, I am sorry that one of the people that I had to use was you."  
The need to hurt Harry disappeared. This was as close to an apology that Harry  
was going to come and she did not know if she really wanted more from him.  
Looking at him - she was surprised to see that Harry looked as serious as she  
had ever seen him.  
"Good?" He asked.  
Hermione nodded. "Yes and no. That's just my first demand; there'll be more,  
you'll know later."  
"But then you can keep asking for the rest of my life..."  
"It's either that or nothing, Harry."  
  
Harry grumbled. "Okay."  
"Good." Hermione said.  
"We'll have to get married," Harry said, "I know a clerk in London." Hermione  
thought that was good. That way people in the town would not know that she and  
him were married.  
"No! I'm not getting really married to you." Hermione protested, as Harry would  
expect her to. She knew that he had to explain to her why they needed to do it,  
or else he would expect that she had a plan of her own.  
"We have to." Harry said, "I've known Ginny a long time, and she's going to want  
to see the Marriage Certificate."  
Hermione pretended to be disgusted at the thought of violating the most sacred  
of vows to get what she wanted. She was partially, but she would do anything to  
save the memories of her mother. "Okay... but we're getting it annulled as soon  
as she leaves."  
"That's fine."  
"I'm not moving in with you."  
Harry did not like this. "You have to. How's it going to look to Ginny if you  
apparate out of the house at night? Plus, the entire idea is that you'll be  
keeping me safe from Ginny."  
"Okay... but we're not staying in the same house in Tilford. I'll be living here  
after we get annulled, and I prefer people not know of this."  
"As do I."  
"Good."  
"Good."  
There was a silence that neither liked, but knew not what to do about.  
"Good night." Hermione said finally, putting Harry out of his misery.  
Harry gave a small nod, before starting to walk.  
Hermione could not shake the feeling that all things were happening too fast,  
and she had not thought through the consequences of her actions yet.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione's Relationships:  
This is for all those that are confused about which order these happened in.  
From the beginning:  
1)Crush on Harry sometime in her 3rd year  
2)Assorted boys in Hogwarts.  
3)Oliver (moving on from Harry)  
4)Oliver and her breakup after he left school. Long distance relationship  
was not working when she was in her 7th year.  
5)Harry and Hermione in the greenhouse - making out.  
6)Oliver and Hermione get back together.  
7)Oliver cheats on Hermione.  
8)Now...  
  
  
  
BTW - I've never had a hangover, but I did have one brush with alcohol when I  
was 8 years old. I've just exaggerated that. If you can point out something  
terribly wrong in the description - please leave it in the review. I don't  
actually have anyone to confirm what it feels like.  
  
The Pasta and Macaroni: What's the difference between these two? 


End file.
